THE SCHOOL WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1132, 20 May 1911, Page 10

THE SCHOOL WORLD.

A WEEKLY REVIEW,

NOTES FROM TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Teachers and others interested in the administration of education ore invited to contribute notes for publication in "The School World." These should bo addressed to the Editor, "The ficliool World," Thk Dominion. Wellington, and posted to reach this office not later than Wednesday ill each wccK. Correspondents desiring enlightenment upon any ouestion in connection with the school "work, or the general administration of the education system, are invited to submit these points to the Editor for elucidation and reply. Where anonymity is desired, it will he strictly observed. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Rus."—The point is au important one, and is at present engaging the attention of the Executive Committco'of tho New Zealand Educational Institute. .Will advise- you later, -when tho question of Jaw, which is at present at issue, lias been determined. TEACHERS' INSTITUTE. NAPIER BRANCH. Tho annual meeting of the Napier brunch of the New Zealand Educational Institute was-held on Saturday last, Mr. W. Smith presiding. Tho committee reported that during tho year three meetings were held, and the attendance of teachers was good, indicating a keen interest in the affairs of the branch. The present membership was 87. Referring to tho question of promotion, tho committee stated that the branch had little sympathy with local schemes, which tended only towards making the closeddoor policy more rigid; any Dominion scheme framed on broad lines would command,'and rightly so; its whole-hearted support. "I'hero seems to be good cause for the press outcry about tho present system of electing education boards," commented tho committee. "Though very much belated this agitation may bo significant of of sonic alteration in the near future in tlie clauses of the Education Act relating to tho election of board members, "We regret that promptitudo was not manifested in combating the recent'outbreaks which, especially in the Hastings district, havo assumed considerable proportions. Parents and others.seem to regard these outbreaks with considerable equanimity, judging by tho trouble they will take to defeat tho purpose of the Public Health Act. It is to bo hoped that the Hospital Board will stick to its guns and compel parents to safeguard tho interests of others. r"Uuder the clauses of tho Defence Act, young lads and men are required to enrol and undergo certain periods of train-" ing annually. -The.disciplinary aspect of the new regime should leave its impress upon the youth of this Dominion." The following officers were elected,for the ensuing year:—President, Mr. G. K. Sinclair (Clive); vice-president, Mr. G. Cockroft (Port Ahuriri); secretary - and treasurer, Mr. M. I?-. Grant (Napier); committee. Miss E. G. Dugleby, Messrs. Dodds, Williamson, Plank, and W. Smith; auditor, Mr. H. Jones (Napier). The following nominations for offices in the District Institute were made:—Vicepresident, Mr. W. Smith. (Paki P«ki); secretary, Mr. E. B. Holmes (Havelock North); committee, Messrs. Hislop (Napier), and Williamson (Taradale). BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS. AN EXPERIMENT REVIEWED, In the course of a conversation with a "Lyttclton Times" reporter recently, Mr. S". C. Owen, headmaster, of tho combined schools in tho East Christchurch school district, mado some remarks on tho subject of tho religious instruction being given in tho schools under his charge.- Tho lessons, so far, had been a success, Mr. Owen stated, though tho. attendance had fallen off slightly since the first lesson". It had been found necessary to ■ forbid the attendance of a few unruly pupils, whoso behaviour had been objectionable, but on tho whole the dis-; ciplihe-had been excellent. The work so far had been considerably hampered by the slackness of one of the instructors, who had attended once only out of tho five times that the school had been open for religious instruction. The unfortunato part of the scheme, however, was that the children who were attending tho classes were-not really, the ones-who specially needed -religious' instruction, as the majority of:them were attending Sunday schools.: Several of-the teachers had mado inquiries from the children and had ascertained that in most of tho classes only one or two children' were not pupils of Sunday schools. Altogether there wore about GOO children not attending the classes, and it was felt that theso were.the ones who really, needed instruction. The success of the movement rested to a great extent with tho ministers, and if they showed slackness in attending the children would have to bo sent. homo 1 and the whole scheme disorganised. MASTERTON SCHOOL MUSEUM. ITS HISTORY. ■ The museum at the Mastertou District High School, which was formally opened by' the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. James Carroll), on Monday last, is an institution of which tho headmaster, teachers, School-Committee, and public might well feel proud (states a contemporary, in the course of a brief sketch of the history of the' collection). For many years, Mr. Richard Brown, when Town Clerk, employed his time and energy in getting together tho exhibits. At length he had a sufficiently valuable collection to warrant their being placed in cases and thrown open to the public. They were carefully guarded by Mr. E. S. Richards in a room of tho -BoroiHi Council Chambers for some vears. They were placed at the disposal of the Trust Lands Trust, and thev havo been handed over to tho school, together with 'the buildings which at one time did'duty as pest office. .The buildin*, v;hich is situated in the reserve provided by the' Trust Lands Trustees, is divided 'into four compartments. In one of theso is shown the natural history exhibits, in another the'valuable collection of mineral and agricultural -specimens, and in a third a very fine assortment of curios, whilst the fourth is utilised for mounting and storing, the specimens. The collection of minerals, most of which arc common to the district, is a particularly good'one, while tho native fauna is well represented. There is also a good collection of Australian snakes and birds, and valuable documents. Tho whole of the specimens have been nicely arranged, and ticketed by Mr. W. 11. Jackson. The museum is to be open to the public on Thursday afternoons and evenings. It will als» bo available to outside schools on days which may be arranged with the headmaster.